Mag+

Below is a conceptual video (HT to Katy for the link) created by BERG London and the (Swedish publisher) Bonnier R & D team demonstrating a potential vision for digital magazines. I really like it. I like it because it strikes an excellent balance between attempting to capture some of the unique aspects that make reading a magazine a singular experience (some of the physicality, the visual signposting, the rich and immersive imagery and writing, the sense that you are consuming a curated, complete package) whilst reflecting the very particular attributes of digital consumption.

And I like it because it doesn't make the mistake of trying to innappropriately impose individual features from one medium to another. One of the problems that I've always had with the digital magazine 'page-turning' technology that a lot of people have got very excited about over the last couple of years is that it does just that - taking an analgue format and function (page-turning) and forcing it into becoming digital, creating a clunky, inapropos digital user experience (and one which Jack Schulze of Berg rightly says is "not honest to the form of the screen"). Thankfully Berg have gone the opposite way, actualising something that creates a better and more believable user experience for magazines than the current crop of e-readers, and one that I can envisage working well on a tablet platform. Good stuff. You can give feedback and join in the conversation about it here.